All the Colors of the Rainbow
by Nalanzu
Summary: Sector 2814.1-4 wonder what, exactly, the seven-color emotional spectrum might imply. Involves liberal application of beer to deliberations.


**Title:** All the Colors of the Rainbow  
**Fandom:** Green Lantern Corps.  
**Characters:** Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner  
**Author's Notes:** Takes place between Tales of the Sinestro Green Lantern Corps: Ion #1 and Green Lantern Corps #19.

* * *

"Seven Corps, right?" Guy ticked the colors off on his fingers. "Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, indigo? The hell is that? Ain't that just another name for blue?"

"What, you wanted pink?" Kyle pitched the empty beer can toward the trash. It bounced off the edge and went in. "Shyeah, I'm good."

"I'm just sayin', is all," Guy said, pushing another can towards Kyle. The four of them had moved the campfire meeting to Hal's apartment, voting in favor of a place with an actual atmosphere and also beer.

"We're just supposed to sit around, waiting for this war?" Hal fidgeted with his mostly full beer, drawing his fingers through the condensation on the sides.

"Don't see much else we can do," Guy countered.

"What will come will come," John said. "And we will face it." He'd matched Guy, brew for brew, but he still managed to look perfectly sober.

"Never figured you fer a fatalist, Stewart." Guy, on the other hand, (while perfectly coherent) was clearly fighting a losing battle with sobriety.

"Seven corps, all fighting." Kyle had opened the fresh can, but he was staring at it instead of drinking, chin resting on his folded arms. "The colors'd be beautiful."

Hal frowned and claimed the can. "I think you've had enough."

Kyle swiped it back. "You know what I mean. Not the fighting, but the… the…" He gave up his search for words and took a pull from the can instead.

"The Rainbow Lantern Corps?" John said, and then looked as if he wished he hadn't. "I mean –"

Guy burst out laughing. "Kyle here c'n be their poster boy, wavin' a little rainbow flag'n everything."

"Hey!" Kyle protested. "Just because I'm an artist –"

"Come on, kid, you can't tell me that ain't funny."

"Yes, I can." Kyle glared, which had absolutely no effect on Guy's smirk.

"That's not fair, Guy." Hal moved to claim Kyle's beer again, but Kyle turned away and drained the can. "Don't pick on the kid."

"I am not a kid! Stop calling me that!" Guy gave Hal a wordless look of reproach, and Kyle rounded on him. "And don't you start defending me!"

"The colors of the visible spectrum blend together to make white," John said abruptly.

"YES," Kyle said, turning away from both Hal and Guy and blinking at John. "They only come apart when you break 'em, but together they're just the one thing and it's this perfect harmony."

"Balance," John said.

"Exactly, that's right, the Corps should balance each other out, too, because colors all come together."

"The White Lantern Corps?" Hal said, trying out the sound of the words. "I don't know, Kyle."

"Yeah, well, ten to one this 'Blackest Night' crap ends up with a Black Lantern Corps." Guy crossed his arms.

"Bet it doesn't," Kyle said.

"I got a twenty here says it does."

"I see your twenty and –"

"Okay, you have _all_ clearly had enough," Hal interrupted.

"The balance of the emotional spectrum may be the deciding factor in determining the fate of the universe during the Blackest Night, Hal," John said, and any trace of joking had vanished from his voice.

Hal thought about that for a moment. "Well," he began, and Kyle dissolved into actual giggles.

"Rainbow Lantern Brigade to the rescue, Hal," Guy said, grinning, and Kyle just laughed harder. John, when Hal looked at him to make sure, was chuckling.

"Party's over," Hal declared. "Some of us have jobs in the morning." He paused to look pointedly at Guy and Kyle, which only set Kyle off again.

"Don't getcher panties in a twist," Guy said, heaving himself out of his chair. "C'mon, kid." Kyle finally got his laughter under control and waved at Hal before following Guy out the door.

"You're not driving, are you?" Hal couldn't help saying.

"Call us a taxi," Guy said over his shoulder.

John waved his cell phone. "It's waiting downstairs."

"Smooth, Stewart, real smooth." Guy shut the door behind him, but Hal could hear the two of them all the way down to the next floor, and through the open balcony door once they reached the street.

"I'm serious about balance, Hal," John said. Hal looked at him suspiciously, and John put up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I think the emotional spectrum will have to harmonize in the same way as the visible."

"But –" Hal started.

"Cosmic balance, my friend." John stood. "See you around."

"Sure thing." Hal opened the door for John, and when his friend had gone, he stood on his balcony. Coast city was thriving, despite the best efforts of the Sinestro Corps. Hal couldn't imagine a situation where he would willingly work side by side with Lanterns who thrived on and propagated fear. As he finally turned to go inside, the full moon high in the sky caught his gaze. Its white light washed through Hal Jordan's vision, and he shivered.

FINIS


End file.
